The subject matter disclosed herein relates to gas turbine engines and, more specifically, to turbine blade tips.
Gas turbine systems typically include at least one gas turbine engine having a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The combustor is configured to combust a mixture of fuel and compressed air to generate hot combustion gases, which, in turn, drive one or more blades of the turbine into rotation. For instance, the turbine blades may extend radially outwards from a supporting rotor disk, and the rotation of the turbine blades may generate power for a load and/or the compressor. Unfortunately, during operation, the turbine blades are continuously exposed to the hot combustion gases, thus resulting in the turbine blades and, particularly the turbine blade tips, being difficult to cool. Without proper cooling, the tip of the turbine blades may be subject to oxidation and cracking, thereby reducing the operational life and performance of the turbine blades.